Improv
The February 2011 Daring Bakers challenge was panna cotta and oatmeal florentine cookies. I made a simple presentation with maple-balsamic caramel, an apple pie panna cotta, and a German chocolate panna cotta cake with yogurt.
Tag Archives: vanilla
Almond Maple Granola
An old favorite granola recipe: just sweet enough, with great crunch and infinitely adaptable. This version features almonds, coconut, and vanilla.
The Full Montée
The May 2010 Daring Bakers challenge featured the croquembouche, a tower of cream puffs glued together with caramel or chocolate ganache. I filled my choux puffs with chocolate and vanilla praline pastry cream based on…
Tea-ramisu
The February 2010 Daring Baker's challenge featured that coffee-lover's dream, tiramisu, with homemade ladyfingers and mascarpone cheese. My version substituted vanilla and chai teas for the coffee and Marsala wine, since we don't drink either.
Cannelloni and Cannoli
The November 2009 Daring Bakers challenge featured a classic Italian dessert, cannoli. I dipped the edges of my crisp cannoli shells in chocolate and coconut, and filled them with vanilla, chocolate and banana cream made…
Beating the Heat
A perfect summery treat, this creamsicle ice cream pairs orange (actually, clementine) zest and juice with vanilla for a classic flavor.
Here Endeth the Quest
This Belgian waffle recipe is my gold standard: it makes light, crisp, sweet waffles despite a dying waffle iron.
Got Milk?
A vanilla pudding infused with hazelnut praline, in honor of World Breastfeeding Week.
Cara Cara Creamsicle Cake
The March 2008 Daring Bakers challenge was Dorie Greenspan's Perfect Party Cake. My variation, served at my baby shower, was a creamsicle cake with cherry preserves, Cara Cara orange buttercream, and candied orange slices for…
Now How Often Does That Happen?
A surplus of egg yolks gave me the perfect excuse to whip up a quart or two of tin roof ice cream, chock full of fudge ripple and chocolate-covered peanuts.
Christmas Cookies, Part the Fifth: Sugar Cookies
Classic sugar cookies, made from scratch, are the perfect blank canvases for any decorations you like.
Christmas Cookies, Part the Third: Pecan Snowballs
No matter what you call them, these are one of my personal favorite holiday cookies. Don't inhale while you're eating one!
Thanksgiving 2007 Debriefing
An overview of our Thanksgiving feast, from brining the turkey to dishing up the fixings.
BoSox Cream Pies
The October 2007 Daring Bakers challenge featured Bostini cream pies, a miniature version of the classic Boston cream pie perfectly suited for a Red Sox World Series win. My version used our favorite pairing of…
Loads and Loads of Yams (and some Caesar Salad)
Spice-rubbed pork tenderloin with a tangy pomegranate reduction, vanilla sweet potato puree, and Caesar salad with homemade dressing.
Philly-Style Root Beer Floats
A cool, refreshing throwback to childhood, made with homemade vanilla ice cream (but bottled root beer).
Cheesecake Ice Cream (Sandwiches)
When last we met, I was forlornly resigning myself to the fact that I wasn’t going to be able to roll, cut, chill, bake and cool a batch of homemade graham crackers inside the space…
Thanksgiving Dinner 2006 Recap
An outline of our Thanksgiving meal for 2006, complete from mushroom bisque for lunch to pumpkin chiffon pie for dessert.